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Questions on Sides, Stores and More

Let’s take a moment here for some inspiration: Bill Monroe playing “Southern Flavor” on TNN’s “American Music Shop” with Marty Stuart. Thanksgiving! America’s best holiday.

Q.

I bought a fresh, free-range organic turkey on Saturday at Costco. The tag said “best if used before 12-3.” But this morning, I’ve panicked, and I’m worried that I’m going to kill my guests by cooking and serving this bird that has been “fresh” for a least a week now. It’s been in the fridge, but never frozen. Thoughts? Also, we found a neck inside this bird but no giblets. Think we got one with no giblets or is there a plastic bag lurking somewhere in the cavity and we just haven’t found it? Bird is brining now, so there’s time to search again before the roasting. Jagdillard, Alexandria, Va.

A.

You’re going to be fine. Even if your bird hasn’t been kept at 36 degrees for its entire death span, I’d still think you have a few days before you’d be justified in panicking. (I’m no lawyer, but I know a couple. If I worked in the legal department at a big box store like Costco, I’d insist that the “best if used before” date have a huge margin of error on it.) Bummer about the giblets. Look again, but you may have simply gotten rooked on them.

Q.

I made little cubetti of butternut squash and was planning to saute them with garlic. Now I’m afraid that that will render them too mushy. Any suggestions on how to use the squash, or is that my best bet. What If I throw them in with the turkey the last 1/2 hour and let them dissolve into the pan drippings and then have an “interesting” gravy? Lolly, Princeton, N.J.

A.

Side dishes in school colors. Go Tigers! Rah!. You’ve got a good idea going there, Lolly, don’t back down now. I’d bail on the garlic, though. Melt some butter into a pan with some olive oil and get it hot hot hot. Now put your squash in there and let it get caramelized and brown on one side. Toss, toss, toss. Add sage. Salt and pepper to taste. That’s a nice side dish, right there.

Q.

Hi Sam! Wrong move: I made macaroni and cheese and it’s dry? Anything at this stage to do? Also the grits with smoked gouda cheese are bland. Ideas? Thanks! Marianne, Dallas

A.

Add some cream to the mac and cheese. Butter. Milk. You can loosen that a little. Gonna be rich. But that’s the point. As for your grits, my guess is you need to add salt. Maybe a splash of turkey stock? Can you taste the cheese? Might need some more of that, too.

Q.

I made Julia Child’s boeuf bourguignon last night to serve today. I used the teaspoon of salt listed in the recipe and then used bouillon cubes for the required broth. It smells great but is way too salty. Is there any way to rescue this wonderful dish? Julia and Julie Fan, Minneapolis

A.

That’s the downside of those cubes: they’ve got a lot of salt in them. But I guess you know that yourself now, huh? Time for some old-school grandma techniques, the cooking equivalent of those suck-a-lemon-while-standing-on-your-head hiccup maneuvers. Get a couple potatoes and cut them in half. Put them in the stew for a half hour and then remove and discard. This ought to leach some of the salt out of the gravy. And add just a touch of lemon juice before you serve. That’ll help as well.

Q.

What are the critical issues in peeling chestnuts? I’ve seen advice about boiling vs. baking. All agree that shell must be cut, but the problem is that at times the inner skin sticks to the meat and cannot be removed. The guys selling chestnuts on the streets of NY seem to get it right. Help! Earl G, Madison, Conn.

A.

That’s why they’re selling chestnuts in the street, Earl. Because they know how to peel the things. I’ve been in your position exactly, a lone man standing before a giant pile of chestnuts that, over time, come to resemble nothing less than ambergris in the eyes of the person given the task of peeling them. Even this expert with a mustache on YouTube has trouble with the things. It’s not easy. Stay strong.

Q.

To carve the breast, is it better to cut along the breast from front to back or across the breast? Jim, Baltimore

A.

I like to carve the entire breast off the bird, then cut across it. But you do that in a family where they’ve been doing it the Norman Rockwell way since forever? That’s trouble. Situational awareness is the Thanksgiving guest’s closest friend.